Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the status of the new National Drugs Strategy; when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31576/08]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Work on developing the new National Drugs Strategy, to which I assume the Deputy is referring, has been ongoing throughout the year and is being overseen by a Steering Group, which is chaired by my Department. As part of the ongoing work, a comprehensive consultation process was undertaken in April – June 2008, which included:

15 public consultation meetings;

meetings with relevant Department and Agencies and key sectoral groups and organisations working in the drugs area;

meetings with appropriate focus groups, including problem drug users and young people at risk;

written (including electronic) submissions from interested parties; and

a Seanad meeting in June and a meeting this week with Arts, Sports Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Oireachtas Committee to hear the views of elected representatives and at which the Deputy, herself, was present.

The consultants engaged to assist the Steering Group in its work are now finalising their report and this will be used to guide and inform the Group in their deliberations over the coming months. It is hoped that the new Drugs Strategy will be finalised and launched by early 2009.